Control rooms and operations rooms are frequently exacting and critical environments in which operators work 24 hours a day, each with multiple display monitors displaying a great deal of information which has to be interpreted to obtain the correct situation status. Each operator needs to be aware of the incoming information flow and should be able to gain immediate access to important information. Moreover, work tools should be easily accessible.
Obtaining a correct picture in both calm and critical situations places stringent demands on the working environment. This is obviously particularly important when things start to go wrong, such as in a critical situation, when it is essential that the operator in question makes the right decision and interprets all information correctly in the shortest possible time, and implements measures to return the critical situation to normal operating status.
While terminology differs between the process industry and monitoring, the importance of ensuring operators are alert when faced with a critical situation is a common need. Another common factor that operators in the aforementioned environments share is that for the vast majority of the time the status will be normal. Operator work during normal situations can frequently induce fatigue, which is a common occurrence and a well-known fact. When faced with a critical situation, it is essential that each operator is proactive and able to react quickly and correctly.
In a critical situation, a great deal of information appears on the various display monitors and it is important that functions and the technical workstation, usually known as the operator desk, are fit for purpose. The operator desk is a very important workstation: increasing the level of operator alertness and pro-activity involves considerable financial savings for the industry. Occasionally, a process can be salvaged or an accident prevented/minimized by understanding and correct management from the operator at key moments. Consequently, it is important to receive stimulation to maintain alertness and a short reaction time for various events that require measures to be taken. In nuclear power stations, for example, it is extremely important that on-duty operators are as observant and alert as possible so that important events are noticed without unnecessary delay and are managed correctly.
In order to obtain a good working environment, good lighting and acoustics are an important part, as well as a correct relationship to display monitors. In this context, it is frequently desirable to obtain a controlled light field that illuminates the operator desk, but does not create glare in display monitors, a subject that is addressed in the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,458.
Flat loudspeaker panels with a directional sound field can be used to allow an operator to e.g. listen to music or for directional messages regarding process events, monitoring or external communication, without disturbing nearby operators.
The working environment should preferably be customized for the current operator and today there is a need for simple adaptation of multiple parameters, in which a correct light field and, where appropriate, correct sound field should be maintained.